Linux based handheld with a few tricks up it’s sleeve
When you think of consoles only a few manufactures come to mind; Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft. Gone are the days Atari, SNK (NeoGeo), Pc-Engine and even Sega. So it is nice to see a company that is willing to take a gamble and release a console independently, with almost no third party support. To top it off they release a handheld, not long after the mighty PlayStation Portable hit the shelves!
GamePark has a fractured history. After the release of the GP32 (the predecessor of the GP2X) in 2001 the company split. The newly formed GamePark Holdings then released the GP2X in 2005.
Under the hood we have a two 200mhz processors. One for the general running of the system and one dedicated to video. You can watch most video formats and the GP2X will handle all of the resizing for you. Refreshing for any PSP users!
If you dream in 8 or 16bit? then this could be an essential purchase.
Physically the GP2X is just a little larger than a closed Nintendo DS. There are 4 face buttons plus start and select buttons, 2 shoulder buttons and an analogue thumb stick. It should fit nicely into most peoples hands. The thumb stick takes some getting used too. Unlike the PSP, this actually tilts, like an old fashioned joystick. Once you get the hang of it, it feels very natural, if a little flimsy.
You get an SD slot that will accept sizes up to 2gb (and beyond), a mini USB port for pc connectivity and an expansion port, which among other things, allows TV out connectivity. This is a very interesting inclusion, as with the correct lead you can plug your GP2X straight into the TV, a feature sorely missed on other handhelds! Sadly the review unit didn’t come with the lead and it is not part of the basic package. This is all powered by 2 run of the mill AA batteries. This will give you about 4-5 hours continuous usage, depending on the type of battery. You can also use a power adapter, but again the review unit didn’t have one and it is not part of the basic package.
The main user interface is very user friendly, feeling very similar to most mobile phones. The initial set up is a breeze. Being based on an open source operating system, the GP2X offers some very different features. Anyone can produce software for it, often referred to as homebrew. Although homebrew is available to other handhelds, it often requires the unit to be hacked or modified in some way. What this leaves you with is a handheld that is perfectly suited to emulators, and what a selection there is. Arcade, SNES, Megadrive (Genesis), Neo Geo, Amiga, C64, the list goes on! Now of course there are legal issues surrounding the use of ROMs, but suffice to say these emulators all seem to work a treat. MAME and Picodrive for arcade and Megadrive emulation were particularly impressive! Most of these emulators required some over clocking of the processor, but they all include this functionality and GP2X handles it fine.
For the most part the GP2X is an impressive handheld. The multimedia capabilities are very good with none of the limitations you get with the likes of the PSP. The amount of quality homebrew software and emulators available is also a big plus. The problem is the lack of commercial support. There seems to be almost no commercial software available, except for Apex Designs Payback and a couple of others. This leads you to wonder how sustainable the GP2X will be in the long run. Another glaring downside is the lack of wireless, making any multiplayer stuff impossible.
For now it is a great little piece of hardware. If you are looking for good emulation and don’t want to run the risk of killing your PSP then this may well be for you.
The firmware on the review version was very buggy, but there is a new more stable version available. Other than these problems, my only real criticism (other than the fact I have to give it back) is the lack of power and AV leads in the basic package. It seems a bit strange that such a small outfit would not try to give as much as possible in the package. Especially when you consider it costs the same as a PSP.
The thriving online community and the free software available just about make up for the lack of commercial software.
If you dream in 8 or 16bit, or want risk free handheld emulation then this could be an essential purchase.
The Bad: No wireless. Little commercial support
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